Siberian Showdown
East Siberia This flat, empty, deserted land continues as far as your eyes can see. Icy winds and sub-zero temperatures make you wonder how anyone could survive in this forbidding wasteland. As you slip and slide your way through the icy snow, your eyes are partly dazzled as the snow reflects the sunlight directly into them. Michael Briar transmits on EDC and Autobot frequencies, "If anyone is available, I'm planning an assault on decepticon holdings in East Siberia. Since Turntail has data for this area, it's logical we hit this next. Meet me in sector J94 and bring your guns." Green Cyber-Copter pulls up alongside of Michael Briar's Exo. "Luckily, I was in the area already." He offers to explain his near-instant response to Briar's radio broadcast. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar kneels on the icy tundra of this place. He's watching over a ridge at any decepticon holdings or where troops might be stationed. He waves to Springer and says semi-quietly, "Good, we'll wait for the others here. Then we'll move on the cons." He looks back using his suit to zoom in on a few of them. "Doesn't look like much for defense." he mumbles. So far, Michael's expecting a mass of cons and he's not getting that. That's never a good sign. But as he's walked into the area under radar and made sure he's out of any areas the cons might be, at least he 'might' not be spotted yet. Springer shifts quickly into his robot mode. Springer lands next to Michael. He stands in plain sight, and doesn't bother lowering his voice. "Michael...have you looked around?! This place is a barren wasteland! There isn't a Decepticon in sight!" He mimes jabbing a spear-like object into the ground. "Let's just plant the Good Guy flag and start building up defenses!" Foxfire comes up beside Briar and Springer, ears twitching. "Springer, keep it down!" he chides the larger mech. "We don't want to draw any unwanted attention." Why would Galvatron be here? Why indeed? To review his troops. What troops? Gumbies, apparently; the dregs of the Decepticons, seekers and tanks and armored cars too ineffectual or obscure even to have memorable names. Yes, it's Eastern Siberia, friends; a whole lot of nothing and a lot of little nothings to watch over it. Galvatron walks the line of Decepticon fourth-stringers in their hastily erected rear supply base with a look of superhuman boredom, little heaps of snow from the continual light fall piling up on the troops' shoulders as he reviews them. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar is all about taking huge tracs of land that mean little to anyone. He frowns saying, "Yeah, keep it down. This is also an important area we can use to stage attacks elsewhere. Cutting deep into their turf like this will help start other attacks. Anyway...is this it?" He looks between Foxfire and Springer. Springer frowns slightly. He looks over at Foxfire, then whispers loudly, "He was talking about you, you know." But raising his voice again (although it is a tad lower than it was before), Springer responds, "We're stretched kind of thin right now, General Briar. Got Decepticon activity all over Russia. And half of us are spending as much time in a repair bay as on the front lines. But don't worry, what we lack in quantity, we make up for in quantity." Foxfire rolls his optics and raises a front paw to swat Springer's leg. He turns back to Briar and nods. "I think we're it, yeah." He idly digs his claws into the ground beneath, clearly eager to do something. "So what's the plan, then?" Galvatron is visible from quite a distance, if anyone can get a vantage point over the trees without being spotted on radar, because the supply depot consists of little more than a Transformer-scale cyclone fence and stacks of crates and barrels and stolen fuel tanks interspersed with quonset huts. Galvatron fairly towers over all the buildings in it and all of the other, smaller Decepticons present. At the moment he appears to be backhanding a wayward Insecticon clone. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar zooms in on the supply depot bringing it up on his sensors. "Foxfire, sabotage their fuel tanks and supply crates. Springer and I will run interference for you." He looks between the two and says, "Ready? Let's do this...move out and good hunting." Springer produces his heavy rifle in one hand and a large sword in the other. He nods briefly to Michael. "Time to let 'em know we're here." One second he's standing next to the Unity, and the next he's flying through the air in a huge arcing leap that takes him towards the Decepticon 'stronghold'. His voice carries back faintly, "wreeeeeeck aaaaaaaand ruuuuuuuuule....!" Landing in the midst of a horde of Gumbies, he looks around briefly. "Aw slag." Then he starts lashing out with his sword and rifle, attacking everthing in sight. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar shakes his head and sighs, better for an autobot to lead the charge anyway. More fire will be drawn to him. Michael for his part, leaps over the hill firing his rail rifle with aimed shots here and there. He might strike a gumby or two, but nothing like the death dealing Springer. A grin crosses Foxfire's muzzle. "Sabotage? Now yer talkin'!" He watches as Springer literally leaps into action, and blinks. "Well. That's ONE way to distract 'em." He darts off toward a few nearby trees and promptly climbs up one of them with impressive agility for a canine, hoping to get a good vantage point. "Right...there...all right..." He leaps to the next tree, easily staying out of sight as he makes his way toward the fuel tanks. Immediately a hue and cry goes off at the supply depot! They haven't got proper perimeter defenses (it's only Eastern Siberia after all) but one of the Reflectors is cranking an air raid siren just about as hard as his little arms can handle. Gumbies start running everywhere. The Seekers launch into the air, the Decepticons who don't have built-in weapons run to grab their rifles and laser pistols. "Oh, what is it NOW?" demands Galvatron impatiently, striding across the hastily-laid tarmac. "Sir, sir!" exclaims an armored car, running up with his squad of other second-string Battlechargers. "It must be an assassination attempt! They must be here for you! We'll protect you while you make your escape!" Galvatron looks almost touched by the offer. "You would sacrifice yourself for me?" He pats the Battlecharger on the head. "Your generosity is as great as... your UNDERESTIMATION of my POWER!" He picks up the poor Battlecharger by the head and flings him over his shoulder. "Get behind me and pack the supplies! Await my word to evacuate the depot! I will crush the interlopers under my HEEL!" Exo-Suit Glaive Unity lands in the snow from the leap and pops off a few rounds with its rifle. Smoke trails off the barrel of the gun from the heat as the Unity trots along. As the Unity gets closer, the Ion cannons rotate up from its hips, glow, and fire off twin beams of heat that instantly turn ice to water in its path but hits a building instead slicing a nice double fisted hole in one side of it. "Ha! This should be..." his HUD lights up showing a much larget target than the others, "....oh shit." Springer spins around at the familiar voice, his path of heroic (or barbaric depending on your perspective) activity taking him deeper into the heart of the outpost. He's covered in minor nicks and scratches, but nothing that could threaten a Wrecker-tough Autobot like himself. But now he spots Galvatron...apparently unaware of how close -this- interloper really is...and Springer sends himself flying straight at the Decepticon leader. It's a completely underhanded sneak attack, without even a hearty 'Wreck and Rule' to announce his intentions! Galvatron evades your Sideswipe would be proud! attack. Foxfire pins his ears back, a quiet snarl escaping him. Hopefully his companions can take care of Galvatron--he is NOT in the mood to be cannoned. He jumps to one last tree and scurries back to the ground, then dashes toward the tanks. He's ready to activate his holograms if he needs to, but for now it seems like it's unnecessary. "And furthermore," continues Galvatron... "My lord, watch out!" exclaims a Battlecharger as Springer charges him from behind. "Humf!" Galvatron grunts as he pivots to face Springer, twists to the right and reaches out in an attempt to catch the brave Wrecker and help him to continue his airborne attack... straight into the ground, head-first! Galvatron strikes you with Deft Reversal for 15 points of damage. Galvatron plows Springer into the ground and through a quonset hut occupied by a very surprised Seeker. "Furthermore, do not put yourselves between me and my target!" he continues. "Galvatron Prevails!" shout the troops, scattering out of the way. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar gasps, "Damn it! This is going FUBAR before it even begins!" He snarls along with Foxfire as the Unity blasts off the ground and charges Galvatron. Since Springer is currently down, he lifts his rail rifle and pops off a few mach 1 slugs as he closes the gap. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with RCR-104 'Hunter' Rifle. Springer looks up from where he's lying on his back on the ground. Wait a second, wasn't he flying at Galvatron, ready to pay him back all in one shot for quite a few savage beatings at the hands of the Lord of the Decepticons? "Oooh...what happened?" He struggles to his feet, then hefts his rifle and sword. "This doesn't look like the Autobot corporate suite on Monacus. That must mean..." he turns slowly around, to look at Galvatron. "I remember now! Primus, will you please STAND STILL for once?!" He jabs his rifle forward suddenly and unleashes a quick wind tunnel! You successfully strike Galvatron, who is now temporarily incapacitated. Springer blinks. "Thanks!" Foxfire just shakes his head. Springer was always an odd one... The little cassette hurries over to the tanks and comes to a stop, examining them closely. A bomb could easily take care of them, but it would draw attention to himself...he'll have to do it the old fashioned way. He bites down hard on the one of the tanks, allowing the fuel to drain from the new punctures. "I might ask the same of YOU!" demands Galvatron, firing through the wall of wind and hitting nothing but crates- Springer's air tunnel has him foxed, for now! Galvatron also got hit by a hypervelocity shell but assumed it was just another Autobot. Springer activates his sword's crackling energy field and approaches Galvatron. "Me?! Who are you tring to kid? You must be batting, like, seven-fifty on me! With over forty homers!" Timing it carefully, Springer switches off the rifle just as he leaps forward, hoping to take advantage of the brief change to get in another cheap shot while Galvatron is off-balance. You strike Galvatron with Powersword. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar closes in with Galvatron as well. With a quick switch of weapons, his rifle goes back to the hip and twin energy blades form around his fists. As with Springer, the Unity charges Galvatron striking lower than Springer at the legs using the off-balance to his advantage as well. Maybe even toppling Galvatron if he's lucky. "Not bad Springer, keep it up!" he calls out over the hiss of his energy blades. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with energy blade slice. Foxfire bites the tank again, widening the holes until the fuel is completely drained. He moves on to the next one, repeating the process, but this time using his claws as well. Galvatron grimaces as he finds himself double-teamed! A quick slash to his back and another to his left forearm when he raises it to guard against Springer's assault. But Springer clearly has his attention. "Batting? Homers? Your meat-brained chatter is tiresome to me, Springer," he snarls, trying to catch Springer's sword arm and dislocate it... if not tear it clean away with sheer force! "As is your VERY LIFE!" Thankfully for Foxfire neither Galvatron nor any of the more competent gumbies seem to have noticed his sabotage yet! You evade Galvatron's Bare Hands attack. Springer stares in shock for a second as Galvtron reaches for his sword, but manges to pull the weapon away. "Hey!...that...that's mine!" He finishes lamely. "Sorry, processor-lock." Then he takes a step back and thrusts one foot forward in a front kick at Galvatron's midsection. You strike Galvatron with Kick. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar smirks, "Careful Galvatron, close your mouth for a few seconds and you might float away with all that hot air." He stabs at the same wound he made, though with not as much force as before. Then the Unity dashes off, it can handle itself better when it's not close in anyway. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with stabby stabby. Foxfire finishes dealing with the fuel tanks, and makes his way over to the Decepticons' supplies. They might be more difficult to deal with, however. But he's a clever fox--he'll figure it out! From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Meanwhile, in the distance and just out of exo sensor arrays is a certain Secretary General that's behaving badly. When he heard that Galvatron himself was on site in Siberia, he managed to slip the Ghosts and "borrow" a Riptide from Rammstein. Whoever thought Spike would be in a Riptide: a perfect disguise. He's off floating in the water, and monitor frequencies while throwing every trick in the book (which is considerable) against detection. Galvatron has overreached himself, clearly; the laws of cinematic logic would not permit him to cripple Springer so soon. Springer is a hero, after all! His swift kick merely emphasizes the fact. "You will find, Springer, that what's yours... is MINE!" snarls Galvatron, twisting away from the slashing human suit and driving the outstretched fingers of his left hand towards Springer's throat. Galvatron strikes you with Throat Punch for 10 points of damage. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar is actually getting a little miffed that Galvatron isn't putting some of that well known rage on the Unity. He can probably take a punch as good or better than Springer can. Or would Galvatron be saving the Unity for dessert? It's not a pleasing thought for Michael. He stops and lands on the ground unfolding his ion cannons and powering them up. They glow to a bright red before unleashing their heat energy upon Galvatron. If Glavatron is going to ignore Michael, the least Michael could do is say thanks with some high energy weapons. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with Twin Ion Cannon Blast. Springer stumbles back, clutching at his throat. "*zzzt!*" He frowns, then tries again. "*grrzzzt!*bzzzZZZZT!*" In a way Galvatron's right...he's taken away one of Springer's most prized possesions, and some would say one of his most trusted weapons. His voice! "*BZZZZ-ZZZZ-ZZZZT!* Now glaring more spitefully than anyone present can probably remember seeing from him, Springer raises his rifle and unleashes a savage, point-blank attack. You strike Galvatron with High-Powered Barrage. Foxfire slashes open a crate of supplies and promptly starts destroying them, one by one. Fangs and claws are good for that sort of thing. And hey, he's enjoying it, so it's all good! Galvatron is forced back a step by Springer's retaliatory barrage, and disappears into a blaze of fire as Briar unleashes his energy beams and ignites a nearby fuel tank in the process. But from the fire steps Galvatron, sweeping his cannon before him as he rakes a searing beam of heat, light and concussive force in a wave around himself! "Congratulations, insects! You have reduced your own chances for survival... several fold!" Galvatron strikes you with Fusion Cannon (low output) for 14 points of damage. Galvatron unleashes his Fusion Cannon (low output) attack on Springer and Exo-suit Glaive Unity , striking Springer and Exo-suit Glaive Unity . From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , The Riptide is monitoring the action in Siberia and sees Springer get his throat slashed. Something triggers inside Spike as he sees Springer stragger back, clutching his throat. Follwing the ice floes as far in as he can, he closes in towards the fight the remaining way on foot which isn't as fast as a sweep, but isn't a dinobot either. Coming up behind his compatriots, and building up enough speed he hits his breaks and goes sliding across the ice towards the main engagement. "Since you took my friend's voice Galvatron, allow me to speak for him - Stick it in your skidplate!" he calls out over his loudspeaker and levels his arm at the Decepticon Commander, where a ring of high level capacitors hum to life and discharge a lightning-strike like of electricity! Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare misses Galvatron with its Electricity attack. Springer flings up an arm instinctively to shield his face as the searing wave strikes him. When he lowers the arm again, he tucks his sword under his arm to free his hand...so that he can flash Spike a quick thumbs-up. Then he lets the sword handle fall into his grip again and closes in grimly on Galvatron. He takes one step, then quickly another, then suddenly launches himself straight at the Decepticon leader, trying to fly right by him and slash him with the blade along the way. You strike Galvatron with Slash. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar gahs and brings up his shields. The Unity is literally pushed backwards by the wave of energy that clashes against the shielding causing its battery reserves to be sucked dry. They crackle and spark with opposing forces, but one finally gives in to the other. As the wave dissipates, the shield shatters into a thousand purple splinters collapsing and burning its reserves flat. "Oh, I wouldn't say that..." Michael says upon picking up a Riptide on his sensors and hearing Spike over his audio pickups. The Unity can give as good as it gets though and the beam cannons flip forward to prove that. "Time to return the favor!" he says over the whine of his beam cannons. They crackle and spark before firing out a yellow and red wave of their own energy back at Galvatron. Exo-suit Glaive Unity unleashes its Tsunami Strike attack on Galvatron, striking no one. Foxfire snaps his head up for a moment, watching as Spike joins the fight. He's a little worried about his companions, but he doubts there's anything he can do to help. After all, Galvatron could easily step on him. Well, at least his job's almost complete... Galvatron doesn't seem likely to notice Foxfire over there as long as he's being assailed by Autobots and humans. "Et tu, Spike?" asks Galvatron as he returns Springer's powerful blow with a backhand with his cannon-arm, recognizing the human's voice; one of the very few human voices familiar to him, apart from that one guy who sounds exactly like Starscream. "I would have thought your decrepit meat would be falling off of your frail old bones by now." Galvatron strikes you with Cannon-Whipping for 12 points of damage. Springer turns around and comes back at Galvatron just in time to take the blow on the chin. Something seems to crackle from his throat. "Zzztome on, now you're really reaching for...hey! I'm back!" Springer's mood lightens visibly. He takes another swing at Galvatron, but this time it's almost like his heart isn't completely in it the way it was before. Galvatron evades your Blade attack. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar just stands there firing off as much ammo as he can at Galvatron. It's like a con in a shooting gallery and until Galvatron actually makes a move on Michael, he'll continue being a weapons platform. He hits a switch on his rifle as the spent clip slides out and thumps into the snow vaporizing it into a small cloud of steam from the heat. Michael pulls another one from a hip compartment slapping it into place before firing off a short burst of hypervelocity rounds towards the big purple one. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with RCR-104 'Hunter' Rifle. From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky takes a flanking position on Galvatron and raises his other arm where a pod pops up, and as he aquires a targetting tone, he responds to Galvatron simply: "Hey now, just because I'm older doesn't mean I'm decrepit. Not all of us can get a cheap refab job from a demonic planetoid, y'know." and that patter was just long enough to aquier a target lock. Now to see if the little bastards can do their job. Several streaks fire from the pod on his arm. Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare strikes Galvatron with HRF-897C Mini-Sidewinder Missle Array. Galvatron hurls Springer away from himself with a straight kick and turns to level a finger at the human that keeps pounding him with shells (one of the two, really). "You would have been wise to keep a lower profile, fleshlings! There is room in my plan for at least a limited number of your species to survive, but you insist on casting yourselves..." He backflips into the air, transforms and hits the ground in his cannon mode, cannon winding up to full power. "...into the PIT!" Galvatron transforms into his artillery mode, to bring his heavy weapons to bear. Galvatron strikes Exo-suit Glaive Unity with Fusion Cannon (high output). Foxfire destroys the last of the supplies, and jumps on top of one of the crates to survey the area. He bares his fangs as he watches the fight against Galvatron. "General!" he calls out as Briar is hit. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar blinks and his eyes go glazed over for a moment. He sees down the pit blackness of the artillery cannon now pointed at him and sees oblivion. Michael whispers, "Move......move..." but he can't. The ground around him begins to melt as the energy beam envelops the Unity. Over the roar of the blast Michael can be heard screaming as the Unity can be seen within, still standing up to the blast. Bits of melted metal and ceramics flake or melt off the frame. One eye expands suddenly, then shatters. Just as it seems the Unity will fall over from the onslaught, the beam fades leaving the Unity, smoking but still moving. Michael groans, drops to one knee, and forces himself NOT to fall over. "Move....move..." he orders both his body, now feeling like a roast chicken, and the Unity, feeling worse. The exo-suit stands and launches itself on flickering engines towards Galvatron, "I'm...going...to kill....you!" says Michael as he cocks back a fist and swings it towards Galvatron's cannon. Bits of the Unity are still flaking off as he flies too. Exo-suit Glaive Unity misses Fusion Artillery with its desperate punch attack. Saboteur Foxfire gasps out, "Primus..." Springer suddenly drops back into the area, having bounded back in a single leap...there's a loud THUD and a few pieces of broken Gumbycon remains go flying, and then Springer crouching, small foot-shaped depressions. He watches the (now badly damaged looking) Unity make it's attack, then dives at Galvatron himself, trying to tackle him but also somehow hold him immobile in his cannon mode. Fusion Artillery evades your Special attack. Saboteur Foxfire says, "General...General Briar is...he..." Quiet snarl. "Galvatron...that..." Spike Witwicky says, "Mikey's not going down that easily, Foxfire. And if that doesn't serve as inspiration, then nothing I could ever say would. So my words are simple. Fight. Fight as hard as you can and take this son of a bitch DOWN." Saboteur Foxfire says, "With pleasure!" Michael Briar says, "I'll....guh...I'll kill him...*sucks in a painful breath*...if it's the last thing I DO!" Saboteur Foxfire says, "Don't overexert yourself!" From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky watches the attack that just took place and watches in silent awe as Briar continuse to fight. He takes a resolved, measured deep breath and launches his own attack on the vulnerable Fusion Artillery. "This one's for Mikey.." he says, "It's for my family that hasn't had a normal life since 1984..and this one's for Prime!" he sneers as he attempts to punch Galvatron superman style, piloting the Riptide as purely as he can. Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare strikes Fusion Artillery with punch. Spike Witwicky says, "Mike..you got support, don't think you gotta be a hero. Heros end up dead, remember? Some young kid taught me that." Fusion Artillery can't be held for long- Springer seizes him around the barrel but in a matter of seconds all that results in is clinging to Galvatron's arm like a nervous prom date. "Get OFF of me, Springer!" he snaps, batting away the poor scorched Unity's punch. Spike has more luck and gives Galvatron a good one on the chin. "You tiny FOOL!" he snarls. Somehow the humans seem to bother him more than the Autobots do. Maybe because he's at least had a long, long time to get used to the Autobots. "Has it never occurred to your primitive meat brain, Spike, that your family COULD have had a normal life if they had simply MINDED their OWN BUSINESS? You made a conscious and continual CHOICE to be the Autobot lapdogs! Even your offspring was trained to more familiarity with my species than your own! I may be a ruthless autocrat, but at least I know what I am!" He reaches out a fist to try to seize the Riptide's fist and crush it in his own. Galvatron rises into his mighty robot mode. Galvatron strikes Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare with Tight Handshake. Michael Briar calms down some, "....right." He hisses, "I think I smell myself cooking. Anyone got butter?" Saboteur Foxfire says, "Uh...no..." Foxfire can't take it anymore. He has to DO something! Optics flashing, he jumps down from the crate and dashes toward Galvatron. "BASTARD!" he cries as he rapidly approaches, and once he's close enough, he lunges at him, attemping to bite the arm that has just grabbed Spike's Riptide. Foxfire strikes Galvatron with Bite. Springer is tossed aside by Galvatron's sheer strength, but is up again in a flash. Seeing Foxfire going high, he takes a page out of Michael Briar's book and goes low. But rather than trying to tackle Galvatron around the knees, he goes one better and slides in feet-first, trying to scissor his legs through the Decepticon leader's. You strike Galvatron with slide-tackle. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar stumbles back in the snow, his suit hissing and smoking in many points. Michael grits his teeth and keeps the Unity upright with almost willpower alone. He knows he can't unleash his full power on Galvatron, at least not yet, so he goes back in saying, "That's my boss you have!" He flicks an arm releasing an energy blade around his fist, "Let him go!" He leaps up and slashes at the arm holding Spike, away from where Foxfire is biting of course. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with energy blade slice. Saboteur Foxfire hisses, "Galvatron's. Got. SPIKE." Sky Lynx says, "Hmm?" Mirage says, "What's this?" Saboteur Foxfire sounds like he is biting something...namely, Galvatron. "He's got SPIKE!" Tempo says, "I take it you require back-up?" Galvatron releases the Riptide's manipulator and hits the ground hard as Foxfire and Briar hit him high and Springer hits him low- he crashes through a stack of barrels with a loud clanging noise, sending evacuating gumbies scrambling away. Galvatron reflects to himself that the sensation of being (literally) dogpiled is not one that he enjoys. Stifling, claustrophobic. The last time he felt it, to his best recollection, was under a mass of Sharkticons. How did he escape it that time? Ah, yes, he remembers. Galvatron points his cannon straight down at the ground and fires a short but extraordinarily powerful burst, rocketing up into the air while the shockwave rolls outwards from the crater at its center, a crushing blastwave of great force if only momentary duration. Galvatron strikes you with Fusion Blastwave for 12 points of damage. Galvatron unleashes his Fusion Blastwave attack on Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Springer and Foxfire, striking Springer, Exo-suit Glaive Unity and Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare . Sky Lynx says, "Send me cordinates Foxfire, I'll be there in a moment for assistance of back-up, unless assistance is not required." Ranger says, "What's happening over there?" Michael Briar screams in pain! It's not a happy sound. Saboteur Foxfire says, "Primus, NO!" Mirage says, "Sky Lynx, I think it's safe to say that they need help." From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky is getting crushed in Galvatron's hand, and somehow finds something appropriate in this - that if he was to meet his end now, it would be enough that it was alongside his fellow humans and trusted Autobots as they handled the Decepticon Emperor together. He grunts as the superstructure is compressed to its limits. Despite this, he's not without action - he's still got his legs free. "Never a lapdog..always an ally..a friend.." he grunts, the pressure getting to him (no pun intended), "and.. I know what I am too. I'm the guy that's gonna be there when you fall.." and with that he lands on the ground with a *THUD*. He gets right back up and is squashed back down again under the fury of the Blastwave. He snarls. "Fall damn you...FALL!" he growls, and jumps towards Galvatron, hoping to sink a foot into his midsection. Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare misses Galvatron with its Flying Jumpkick attack. Sky Lynx says, "On my way!" Foxfire releases his hold on Galvatron before he's blasted. Unfortunately, he can't say the same for the others. He stares in horror. "Guys...no...just hang on!" He frantically circles Galvatron from a safe distance, searching for a weak point. Maybe if he attacks from behind? That just might work! He stops and crouches, then takes off at a full sprint, leaping forward in an effort to slash at Galvatron as he passes him. He is NOT a happy tape. Foxfire misses Galvatron with his Slash attack. Springer is scorched by the singing energy wave. As soon as it passes, he hefts his rifle, trying to track Galvatron as he rises into the air. But suddenly his view is obstructed by Spike's Exo-Suit! Still, looks like the plucky old guy's got the right idea. Springer crouches briefly, then suddenly bursts upward as if he was a rocket taking off. He turns slightly as he rises, one fist chambered at the waist and the other held over his head for balance. Just as he gets within range, he brings the high arm down, and his chambered fist goes smashing upwards! Galvatron evades your ShooryuuuKEN! attack. Saboteur Foxfire says, "Springer, what's your status?" From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar didn't know Glavatron could do that. His sensors scream at him of the build up of power, but Michael can't move as fast as he should be able to. The rolling wave of energy picks up the ground around the Unity and the whole place goes tits up. Michael ends up on his back mumbling, "It hurts..." the Unity looks even more messed up than before. One of the ion cannons has melted. Bits and chunks of the Unity are now missing, and one of the forearms looks completely slagged. Thankfully, the real arm is higher up. Michael pushes himself up and says, "Ok...you give up? Cause I don't think...UGH...hurting you some more would be fair." He taps the side of his temple and speaks into it while lifting his rail rifle up firing off a few rounds before the counter reaches zero. Exo-suit Glaive Unity strikes Galvatron with RCR-104 'Hunter' Rifle. Springer says, "I'm at about...SLAG IT!...at about 50% effectiveness here." Michael Briar says, "I'll hold out as long as I can." Saboteur Foxfire says, "Damn Galvatron...one of these days I'll use that cannon of his as a chew toy!" Sky Lynx says, "Sorry to say this chaps, but some difficulties on Entry, apparently a storm on the approuch I picked, so going to have to detour about. Just hang touch, I'll be there soon as I can find away around this and proper adjustments for approuch." Sky Lynx mutters something about snow being evil Saboteur Foxfire says, "Snow's fine, Lynxy. When it melts, though? THEN it's evil." Galvatron blocks Springer's rising punch with his elbow, Spike's flying kick with his knee, and Foxfire's slash with a flick of the wrist. Of course, while displaying this incredible prowess he leaves himself open for an attack from a distance, and Briar manages to get one through the flurry. Galvatron retracts his left hand, reels out his morningstar from his wrist and plunges towards the Glaive to deliver it a punishing blow! "Never!" Note: 'Never' is an extraordinary understatement of how often Galvatron gives up. But he tends not to admit to that in public. Galvatron strikes Exo-suit Glaive Unity with Morningstar. Put simply, Foxfire is PISSED at this point. He curses his small size, feeling helpless, unable to effectively assist Briar or the others. But still...there has to be something he can do. He darts back to the destroyed supplies, and jumps back onto the crate. It's risky, but he's willing to take the chance. "Hey, Sandcastle Head!" he calls to Galvatron. "Might wanna take a lot at your fuel tanks!" In a further attempt to distract him, he shoots off his optic lasers. Foxfire strikes Galvatron with Laser. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar blinks and drops his jaw. He looks down seeing the gash one of the spikes has made. The Unity's just about had it and even it knows it, or something like that. Michael just stands there for a little while, more shocked that the Unity broke than he did. The morning star and all its spikey bits smashed the armor aside like it was play dough, then slashed though the front armor of the Unity, even going so far as a spike to rip into Michael himself. He takes a step back, but finds he really can't at this point. So he just sits down on his butt with a thud. The color begins draining from his face as he finally finds something to say, "Oh no..." then falls over with a small clang of metal and sparks of damaged electronics. Saboteur Foxfire says, "GENERAL!" From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky watches Mike take the brunt of damage again. He turns the exo and moves towards the Decepticon Leader, getting between him and Mikey. "Mikey, get your ass outta here /NOW/. That's an /ORDER/." he hisses. He turns towards Galvatron, and hopes to draw his ire, no matter the cost. "I have seen you fail..MEGATRON." he calls him. Oh yes, yes, he went there. "Time and Time again. Partly because of your ego. Mostly because you let idiots plan your operations. But what is your downfall most of all is your blindess. You simply don't get that no matter how hard you try, you will never succeed." he looks him dead in his optics, "You will never suceeed because you know ultimately you will fail. And so you do. And you will fail again today. Megatron." he says, and the capacitors hum to life again and send another shock towards the mech. Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare misses Galvatron with its Electricity attack. Springer lands heavily, apparently finally starting to run out of steam. But he marches with dogged determination towards Galvatron and the poor Unity, hefting his laser righting and sighting as he goes. "Guys...this is NOT looking good. We might have to start thinking of an exit strategy here." Galvatron evades your Laser attack. Saboteur Foxfire says, "Kill...gonna kill 'im..." Galvatron stands over Briar's suit as lasers from Springer and Foxfire ricochet off of his nigh-impenetrable armor, cannon winding up as he prepares to execute Briar once and for all. Spike speaks to him. He pauses. Red eyes narrow dangerously. "I may," Galvatron admits quietly, almost conversationally. "I may at that." Whirling away from Briar to level his right arm at Spike's second-class suit accusatorily and explodes with rage in the same moment that his cannon bursts forth with a sudden #-1 FUNCTION (ANSI) EXPECTS 2 ARGUMENTS BUT GOT 1. "But not THIS DAY!" Galvatron says, "Er, a sudden ansi-colored kraka-foom." Galvatron strikes Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare with Fusion Cannon (standard output). Foxfire swears in Cybertronian. So much for THAT tactic. He darts over to the others again, irritated that Galvatron is just *ignoring* him. Is he really that insignificant? Shows what Galvatron knows! Foxfire has blown up more Decepticon outposts than he can count! "Why don't you try picking on a fox?!" he snaps at the much larger mech, trying to get between him and the humans. From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar isn't going anywhere. Michael just twitches, his eyes open but too injured to move. With blurred vision he reaches up with his good exo-suit arm and tries to grab Galvatron's foot. Well, he probably can, but the suit's so messed up, it's unlikely it'd do much. Maybe Michael can bleed on him? Michael croaks out, "Nooooooo..." in terror, yes a 30' towering purple robot that is probably going to end your life is a very sobering experience. From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Humans. You can do alot of things to them. You can freeze them, or you can set them ablaze. You can drop them from a cliff, or drown them in the blackest of oceans. Most of these things will kill them. Likewise, most humans would be incinerated by even the smallest of Galvatron's blasts. Unfortunately for Galvatron, Michael Briar and Spike Witwicky are two humans who are not 'most'. Spike speaks to Galvatron, and for his trouble recieves a near point black blast from the cannon that reduced his former lieutenant to ashes. A blast that rips apart most of the Riptide, leaving a bare exo-skeleton over Spike's form. He took the blast..and like Michael..still stands. "It might not be this day, but it /will/ be soon. I swear to you that I will that goddamned cannon at Prime's resting place my/self/." he spits, his eyes burning with hatred. He can be heard speaking over a commlink and backing away. He might be brave, but he's not dumb. Springer grimly marches in closer. Lasers don't seem to have any affect whatsoever, so he switches back to his lightsaber. He flicks on a control to activate the energy field. The energy sheath shimmers into existence...then flickers and dies. Springer bangs the hilt against his own hip a few times as he closes in on Galvatron and the Unity. Every time he hits it, the mechanisms give a slight whine and spark a little. Then finally, they fire correctly, and his blade is covered by a thin, crackling layer of energy again. Not a moment too soon - Springer has reached Galvatron and swings. "Get away from him, Galvatron!!" You strike Galvatron with Powersword. Galvatron is looking rather battered himself, and more importantly, low on fuel. Handling multiple foes like this takes a lot out of him, particularly using his cannon lavishly, and it's apparent just to look at him that he can't keep it up. Most of what the gumbies weren't able to take with them from the depot when they retreated is crushed, disintegrated or on fire, thanks to the battle, Galvatron himself, and of course Foxfire. Galvatron looks around with a sullen expression on his Mephistophelian face and turns his glare on Spike. "You will not live to see it, fleshling. Your life may be charmed, for all the improbable survivals you've managed to pull out of your hide, but your destiny is no match for mine." He winds up his cannon to finish off Spike and fires for the human's cranium, but at the last moment Springer gives Galvatron a mighty slash across the back and his shot misses narrowly- by some unearthly force Spike is spared again! His suit however may not be able to say the same. Galvatron strikes Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare with Fusion Cannon Near-Miss. Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare is deactivated under the fierce barrage of attacks. "You see that, Galvatron?!" Foxfire yells, motioning around at the destroyed supplies and fuel tanks. "That was all my doing! Yeah, one little cassette did all that! If you're not careful, you'll find yourself face-to-face with my hoard of bombs! Now leave my friends alone or I'll blow up this whole damned outpost!" From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky gets nailed by Galvatron's Fusion Cannon once more. Three interesting things happen, all of them at once: 1) Spike is knocked directly onto his ass, sliding back several feet (causing a wicked case of road rash), putting him directly next to Mikey. 2) Spike is miraculously spared, indeed. If there was any doubt that Spike Witwicky, by some divine thread, was blessed by the Autobot Matrix it would be the fact that he's alive, if pretty severely banged up as evidenced by him laying on his back looking up at the frozen sky of Siberia, smoking and steaming into the air. 3) The Riptide? Literally vaporized around Spike, leaving him with nothing as far as protection goes. The jumpsuit he was in is pretty well chewed, leaving a Spike in a tattered T-shirt and pair of boxer shorts. From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky looks over at Mikey, "You know," he says with a grunt of pain and a conversational tone, "some days it just doesn't pay to chew through the leather straps." Saboteur Foxfire practically *roars*. Yes, apparently, foxes roar. "GALVATRON!" Springer's optics blaze suddenly (still a bright Autobot blue though). "SPIKE!!" The energy field on his sword shorts out completely, and he drops it carelessly to the ground. Seeing that Galvatron is between himself and Spike's damaged Exo, he grapples with the mighty Decepticon, trying to link his hands around Galvatron's abdomen...and then flex his back, flipping them both over backwards. But the classic wrestling maneuver is designed so that Galvatron's head and neck hit the ground first. You are running critically low on energon! (15%) You strike Galvatron with russian suplex. Exo-Suit Glaive Unity just sits there. Michael is slowly succumbing to his injuries. This is why some exo-pilots call the suits 'walking coffins'. Few have ejection systems. The Glaive series of exo-suits, and the Glaive Unity specifically, does not. Through blurry eye...the other one's damaged...Michael fights back tears. But, as he sees Spike, he sucks in a deep breath...shallow as it is. "No shit..." he says as he grabs Spike with his good hand, he says, "Lock..." and the Unity's damaged hand complies holding onto Spike's tattered T-shirt. Though it'd probably be best for Spike to grab on. Michael whispers, "Reroute all power to engine core...preprogram flight...retreat vector..." he coughs up a bit of blood that leaks from his mouth, "...code 666...execute." The Unity sputters to life once more as it shifts circuit access paths to the engines. They light up and send the Unity flying and skipping over the tundra moving quickly away from the fight. Anywhere is better than here currently. Hopefully, Spike holds on. Exo-suit Glaive Unity retreats from the area swiftly, outdistancing all pursuit and parting shots. From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky steps into the Unity, puts his arms around it's waist. "Aw shit this is gonna be cold." he has about enough time to say before the exo blasts off. "WHAT outpost?" demands Galvatron, waving his left hand around at the destruction. "This victory was pyrrhic at best! You may KEEP your hard-earned smoldering wreckage! It matches your troops!" He crashes into the ground as Springer slams him, gives Springer a kick as he kips up and a warning sneer to shove him off, points his cannon at the ground and fires it- he lacks the power to let off another blastwave, but he does have enough to soar into the air like a missile, tearing up into the atmosphere. "This is only a SETBACK! We will END you!" he shouts as he disappears into the freezing night sky. Galvatron begins retreating, leaving himself vulnerable to parting shots from Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Exo-suit Glaive Unity . Foxfire watches Galvatron leave. Good riddance to HIM. He sighs in frustration and turns back to his companions. "Sorry I wasn't much help," he says quietly. "It..." He hesitates for a moment. "If I was so damned *small*..." Saboteur Foxfire snarls dangerously. "Will...kill...GALVATRON..." From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar bounces along in the Unity for a while before slamming into that hill he was watching the depot behind at the start of all of this. The Unity comes to a rest on its back. Michael is still for the longest time until he says, "Spike....are you....ok?" the voice is almost not there and very weak. From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky is chattering, hurt, and wrecked. Not as bad off as the General, but still pretty damned roughed up. "C-C-C-Can't get rrrrid of me that easy.." the frozen sounding voice replies, sucking breath as well. Foxfire approaches Spike and Briar, leaving pawprints in the snow with each step. His optics are slightly dimmed, a clear sign of regret. At least he's managed to calm himself. A frown appears on his muzzle and he quickens his pace, coming up to Spike as he emits more heat than normal, in an attempt to keep his friend from freezing. "Take it easy...both of you. Are you able to get around on your own, or should I call a transport?" From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar smiles with eyes half closed, "That's....good. I'm, glad." He feels very light headed right about now. As the snow falls all around them, Michael says, "Spike...it doesn't hurt anymore. I feel better. And...and I think I can get some rest now." He closes his eyes gently and goes eerily silent. Springer shifts quickly into his racecar mode. Green Cyber-Car drives over behind Foxfire. After all the beating his rotor blades took, he's not sure he wants to risk flying unless it's for an emergency. "I can't believe we're all still alive." He says solemnly. "We'd better...better...Michael?!" Saboteur Foxfire sounds horribly frantic. "General Briar needs help, BADLY!" Springer shifts quickly into his helicopter mode. Saboteur Foxfire says, "Someone respond, PLEASE!" Chief Medical Officer Peacekeeper says, "What the frag--? What's going on?" You say, "Ugh...I'm gonna feel that in the morning. But who cares? Get him aboard Foxfire...both of them. We'll take him back to the Outposts. When we're there we can hitch a shuttle or a hovercraft to...to the EDC base, or Autobot City, or the nearest Russian hospital. Come on!" Saboteur Foxfire says, "General Briar is badly hurt." From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky just blinks. He just goes to check for a pulse and respiration. Springer says, "We had a little run-in with Galvatron. Spike's Exo-Suit got totalled, he seems okay. Michael's was still functional (don't ask me how), but I think he must have been severely damaged inside of it." Foxfire's ears straighten as he tenses, beginning to panic when Briar passes out. "GENERAL!" He crouches down beside him, his small body still emanating a good amount of heat. He nods to Springer and wriggles his way underneath Briar's damaged exo, trying to get him onto his back. He manages to succeed, and brings him aboard Springer. "Spike...can you move okay, at least?" From Exo-suit Glaive Unity , Michael Briar has none and isn't breathing. There's a large gash across his chest from that mace Galvatron smacked Michael with. Michael looks like ground up hamburger hold the fries. His face looks white as a sheet and oh yes, there is blood. But since this has been animated for the kids, it's been edited out with flowers or something like that. Kids, check out the unrated 2k5 adventures, vol 2 'Requiem for Briar' for this episode! From Exo-Suit 5391 Riptide Spare , Spike Witwicky blinks, "Aw shit." he mutters, and doesn't answer Foxfire as he tries to climb into what of the compartment he can and start throwing down the CPR foo. Chief Medical Officer Peacekeeper makes a low sound that sounds somewhere between a rumble and a wince. "I'm taking care of patients here in Autobot City, so I won't be able to get over there in time. And besides that, I don't know how to 'fix' humans." City Commander Ultra Magnus strained "S..secure all wounded and withdraw." Springers tone gets businesslike and brisk. "Got it. We're taking him to a Russian hospital in Omsk. I'll fly him there at top speed. Spike, any chance you can keep him alive until then?" Saboteur Foxfire says, "N-no...he...he's not breathing!" Perhaps to late-- The Large shuttle flies over-head at last, it could be easily seen some frost had form on the windows, but good ol' Sky Lynx managed too arrive.. However it seemed to late as he passed over-by, just by looking at the sheer damage below and perhaps the situation that had lead. So The large autobot making another pass, sends down a communications band to all those who can hear him, <> Spike Witwicky keeps working on Mikey. Actually, it's kind of sad. Spike doesn't stop until medical units arrive and he has hypothermia. Spike doesn't stop until he's physically removed from things. Even then, Spike has to be restrained. Springer shifts quickly into his robot mode. Saboteur Foxfire says, "Gen...General...oh, Primus..." Sky Lynx at last lands down and transforms, keeping some distance from the group. He watched from the distance, his optical band flickering as it zoomed on the display, doing quick scans over everyone, including the humans, looking at vitals and growls lowly at what he sees. The large draconic shakes his head gently, sitting down on his hunches with little he could but watch-- watch and wait to be told 'lets go'. Gears can be heard turning, and mechanisms unlocking and relocking as parts attach and detach. Soon rises with large draconic neck upward highly and proud, looking before what surrounds him, and the stance stating true authority over his domain. Springer sits on his knees watching the work to try and save Michael. He doesn't say anything, because there don't seem to be any words remotely appropriate for the situation. Foxfire is sobbing frantically...or, at least, the Transformer equivalent of it. He's doing all he can to keep his Primitive nature under control--the LAST thing he needs is to have his friends witness such a thing, especially in a situation such as this. "So useless...I can't...I can't do anything...couldn't help him...or anyone..." Spike Witwicky keeps working, doing the CPR. Trying to stay calm. Chest Compressions. Breath. Repeat. Spike growls, "C'mon..." he keeps going through the process. Almost like a mantra, "C'mon you /fucker/ breathe!" he keeps working on it. "Don't make me break Zoe's heart.." he mutters, Adrenalin coarsing through him shrugging off the injurise and the temperatures. Sky Lynx at last walks over, he head low softly as he comes up on the scene, already knowing what to expect. Perhaps in his own mind blaming himself since, well, maybe if he /was/ here when he should have been he could have pervernted this, but no-- he had to be up in space galvanting around because he was /tired/, then when they needed him, he had to pick the wrong decent approuch to get caught in a bloody storm. The large white and blue Transformer shadowed over Springer and Foxfire, along with perhaps Spike, the medical team, and what-not. His optical band focus on the scene, then over to Foxfire. The Fox's reflection in his optical band, before he looks over to Michael's downed body. He also had no words, just a soft strange sound that came from his vocalizer perhaps at loss for words. Spike Witwicky knows and refuses to acknowledge it. Can't. Won't. He keeps working, expecting a miracle. That's what Witwickies do, right? Miracle workers, all. So why won't one happen now? He keeps working, to the point it's obvious Spike's in physical pain and beyond. Foxfire looks up at Sky Lynx hopelessly. A quiet whimper escapes him before he darts over to the dinobird, practically burying his face against his friend's leg. "Sky Lynx...the General...he..." This was one of those moments, where well, Sky Lynx wish he knew what to say. He wished he had some sarcastic, witty remark-- or perhaps a remark to make things better, but really he had no words. So when Foxfire ran over, burried his face in his leg, all Sky Lynx could do was take his other paw, and with the large claw's dull side, gently rubs Foxfire. Trying, attempting to comfort the smaller primative. At Last, Sky Lynx speaks up softly, "He-- was a true warrior, do not grieve over his death, for no warrior, no soldier, no-one wants to see someone grieve for the fallen. They wish for us to move on and carry there dreams and goals foreward. To make-- his life meaningful, even now as he goes beyond to the stars, we must remember him for his bravery and his strides, and carry his life through our memories." "I couldn't save him," Foxfire sobs quietly, sitting up on his hindquarters and hugging Sky Lynx's leg with his front paws. "I'm no good to anyone...if I can't even save a friend." Spike Witwicky, for all his efforts, has been exhausted beyond measure. "I.." he just sighs as he is medicated by medics, so that he can be treated and dealt with. He looks around, looking stricken and Zombielike. Sky Lynx looks to Foxfire, then to Spike, then to Foxfire again. He-- was beyond words once more. He understood the situation, and slag-- if this was one of his chaps-- more correctly, if it was the very one he pretty much held himself to a life debt too, he would bloody go after the one whom murdered him and strike revenge. After all, he had a revenge mark on Sunder, so what would stop him from taking the life of another for an equal revenge-- simple answer, ethical belief and morals. Sky Lynx continue to try and comfort Foxfire, inhaling deeply the cool air, which was so-- thick with the depression and the pain here of so many. "..we-- sometimes can't.. save those around us. None of us.. are gods." The large draconic spoke once more in a calm voice, unsure if these words would be the right ones, "But-- I'm sure if he was here, he be very upset to hear you say such words, Foxfire." His Optical band then once more focused on Spike. He was truely unsure what to say to the veterian human who stood by the autobots for so long. There-- wasn't much he could say to him really. Foxfire goes quiet for a short time. It's far too much for him to bear--he has to wonder if this was how everyone felt when Optimus Prime, whom he had never met in person, had been killed. "You think so...Sky Lynx...?" "Yes, Foxfire--" Sky Lynx said softly. Placeing down his paw and nudging the smaller autobot with his snout softly, purring gently to comfort Foxfire, and then nuzzling him gently, "..come now-- there is nothing more we can do here and we will make his death a honorable one." Saboteur Foxfire says, "Galvatron...will...PAY..." Mirage's tone is quiet, but not condescending this time. "Then... it's true?" Springer says, "It's true." Mirage says, "I... see..." Saboteur Foxfire says, "Galvatron will pay for this. I will make sure of it. He will DIE."